‘Just a Matter of Time’ Before Big Quake Hits California

A minor earthquake registering 2.6 on the Richter scale happened almost 20 years to the hour from the Northridge earthquake that killed 60 people. This week’s quake was a minor event -- but experts say another major earthquake will eventually strike.

News

This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.

>>>there was another mild earthquake in california today, just enough to jolt a ton of people from their beds
before dawn
. no damage reported. but it also served as a reminder because it happened on the 20-year anniversary of the
northridge
earthquake that skilled 60 people, caused billions in damage. tonight the experts are speculating about the next big one. our report tonight from nbc's
mike taibbi
.

>> reporter: the shaking started at
4:31 a.m
. and only lasted ten to 20 seconds, but daylight showed the impact from the magnitude 6.7 earthquake.

>>this three story parking structure collapsed.

>> reporter: one of the highest ever recorded in a
north americanurban area
.

>>i couldn't move. i was so scared.

>> reporter: the toll from the
northridge
quake? some 60 deaths, 9,000 injuries, buildings and freeway bridges crumpled, burst
water mains
and gas lines, unleashing floods and fires at the same time, $25 billion in damages. this firefighter rode that morning to what used to be the
northridge
meadows apartments.

>>a three story collapsed all the way down.

>> reporter: 16 first floor residents died here. his rescue of one man was featured in "time" magazine. he worked with other first responders for
36 hours
straight.

>>he was a big one. we knew it was a big one.

>> reporter: but whnot the big one. what if the epicenter was beneath the skyline of
downtown l.a.
? what if it wasn't a quiet
northridge
dawn but a
red flag
day citywide like these have been with gusting
santa ana winds
? this seismologist, dr. lucy jones, made the rounds leading up to the
northridge
anniversary, by showing this video of the big one and posing the question, can you imagine america without l.a.?

>>we estimate
1600
fires will be started. if we then have a
santa ana wind
condition we will not be able to keep those fires in control.

>> reporter: internet and cell service could be lost for days or longer, the
death toll
in the thousands. and whether it's a long edge of the
san andreas fault
that unzips or a smaller, secondary fault as in
northridge
, ernie oheda says --